About Myrmecophila tibicinis (Bateman ex Lindl.) Rolfe
Myrmecophila tibicinis (Bateman ex Lindl.) Rolfe is an orchid species that belongs to the genus Myrmecophila. One widely used common name for this species is trumpet player's Schomburgkia. This species was first formally published in 1838 by Bateman under the name Epidendrum tibicinis, and was reclassified and moved to the genus Myrmecophila by Rolfe in 1917. It grows naturally in seasonally dry deciduous forests at elevations between 300 and 600 metres. It grows in full sun directly on tree trunks and larger branches, and its native range covers Belize, Costa Rica, Guatemala, Honduras, Venezuela, and Colombia. Its pseudobulbs are large, reaching up to 45 centimetres (18 inches) in size. In wild populations, ants always live inside these hollow pseudobulbs, and the nutrient-rich debris left by these ants provides the orchid with extra nutrients. Myrmecophila tibicinis can be mistaken for the related species Myrmecophila brysiana, but the two can be distinguished by floral features: M. tibicinis produces larger magenta flowers and has a larger column, while M. brysiana has smaller yellow flowers.
